نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی
نویسندگان
1 گروه مهندسی کشاورزی، مجتمع آموزش عالی میناب، دانشگاه هرمزگان، بندرعباس، ایران.
2 گروه گیاهپزشکی، دانشکده کشاورزی، دانشگاه علوم کشاورزی و منابع طبیعی خوزستان، ملاثانی، ایران.
3 گروه کشاورزی و منابع طبیعی، مرکز آموزش عالی اقلید، اقلید، ایران.
چکیده
کلیدواژه‌ها
موضوعات
عنوان مقاله [English]
نویسندگان [English]
Background and objectives: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNA molecules that serve as crucial regulators of plant defence responses during plant–pathogen interactions. The phytopathogenic fungus Verticillium dahliae causes verticillium wilt, leading to substantial reductions in cotton yield and fibre quality. To successfully infect host plants, this pathogen employs diverse mechanisms, including the secretion of cell wall-degrading enzymes and activation of virulence genes and effectors. In response, cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) deploys a range of defence strategies, such as lignin biosynthesis, callose deposition to reinforce cell walls, reactive oxygen species production, modulation of defense-related hormones, activation of defence gene expression, and gene silencing.
Materials and methods: In this study, comprehensive bioinformatic analyses were performed to identify miRNAs, their target genes, and the associated regulatory pathways involved in both susceptible and resistant responses of cotton to V. dahliae. Gene ontology analyses were conducted to characterise biological processes, cellular components, and molecular functions. Protein–protein interaction networks were constructed to identify key hub genes with the highest connectivity, representing central regulators of sensitivity and resistance in cotton. The study aimed to elucidate the roles of miRNAs in mediating cotton’s resistance and susceptibility to V. dahliae through identification of their targets and associated regulatory pathways.
Results: A total of 778 and 563 cotton genes were uniquely regulated by miRNAs in resistant and susceptible responses, respectively, during the G. hirsutum–V. dahliae interaction, with 13 genes down-regulated in both responses. miRNA-mediated regulation primarily involved cleavage of target mRNAs. KEGG pathway analyses revealed that “circadian rhythm,” “base excision repair,” “motor proteins,” and “plant hormone signal transduction” pathways were significantly associated with resistance, whereas “sulfur relay system,” “arachidonic acid metabolism,” “steroid biosynthesis,” “glycosaminoglycan degradation,” and “sesquiterpenoid and triterpenoid biosynthesis” were pivotal in susceptibility. Additionally, pathways related to lignin biosynthesis, jasmonic acid, and salicylic acid signalling were emphasised as central components of cotton resistance to V. dahliae.
Conclusion: This study highlights key regulatory miRNAs as potential biomarkers, alongside associated hub genes and pathways, that shape susceptible and resistant responses in G. hirsutum during interaction with V. dahliae. These findings provide a valuable framework for understanding miRNA-mediated regulation of cotton defence and offer targets for improving disease resistance.
کلیدواژه‌ها [English]
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